How to Combine a USB Cellular Adapter and a Tethered iPhone on Ubuntu Linux

Improve Bandwidth and Reduce Latency on Ubuntu by Combining a Tethered iPhone with a 4G/5G USB Cellular Dongle

Even if you find yourself in a location without any wired ethernet or Wi-Fi networks available there's no need to panic. In this article, we are going to introduce you to Speedify, the channel bonding VPN and walk you through the steps to combine a 4G or 5G USB Cellular adapter with a tethered iPhone on your Ubuntu Linux computer.

Speedify is the only app available for all major platforms - Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android and OpenWrt - that combines your Wi-Fi, 4G / 5G cellular, wired, and even your friend’s phone signals – and turns them into one ultra-fast and super secure link that keeps you all connected for the best possible live streaming, video calling, or just posting to your favorite app.

Speedify can bond any number or combination of Internet connections and will intelligently distribute your online traffic among them for optimal performance. Plus, if you get disconnected from one of your connections in the middle of an important video call or file transfer, Speedify will seamlessly failover to your other working Internet connection(s) without skipping a beat.

NOTE: For best results, use Internet connections from different sources. In general, joining the same upstream network multiple times (such as the same router via Ethernet and Wi-Fi) will not improve performance.

Use Speedify to increase your bandwidth: Combine internet connection sources like WiFi, 4G, 5G, & Starlink together

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Combine multiple internet connections to fix slow Internet

Speedify is the only app that seamlessly combines all of your connections, including WiFi, 4G, 5G, Ethernet, and Starlink, into one stronger connection to keep you online and secure.

In most cases, Speedify will automatically detect and start using any available Internet connections on your device while intelligently distributing your online traffic between them for optimal performance. If you need help we have quick start guides available for most common set ups.

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Combine personal hotspots for better bandwidth and signal strength

Speedify's Pair & Share is a feature that enables you to connect to multiple hotspots at the same time and wirelessly share LTE, 4G, and 5G cellular connections back and forth between multiple Speedify users on the same local network to create a faster, more reliable connection for everyone.

For the first time, it's possible to share cellular data between multiple devices, including PCs, Macs, iPhones and Androids. Use multiple phones as hotspots for internet access and get increased bandwidth and mobile failover for all paired devices.

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4 Steps to use a USB Cellular Adapter with a Tethered iPhone on your Ubuntu Linux Computer

Step 1: Enable Personal Hotspot on your iOS device

A Personal Hotspot lets you share the cellular data connection of your iPhone or iPad with other devices via Wi-Fi, USB, or Bluetooth.

Go to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot or Settings > Personal Hotspot and flip the switch to on. 
From this screen you can verify the name of the phone (which will be used as the Wi-Fi name/SSID) as well as configure the password.

NOTE: If you don't see the option for Personal Hotspot, contact your carrier to make sure that you can use Personal Hotspot with your plan.

Need help with this step? Visit Apple’s knowledge base to learn more.

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to your Ubuntu Linux computer via USB

Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Ubuntu computer with a USB cable. If you see an alert on your iPhone or iPad that says “Trust This Computer?” tap Trust. Your Ubuntu computer will start using your tethered iPhone or iPad and you should see it in the System Menu listed as a “Wired Connection.”
Note: It has been reported that in iOS 14, USB tethering to Ubuntu is broken. Learn More

Step 3: Connect and configure your USB Cellular adapter

Note: Before purchasing or connecting a USB Cellular Adapter, be sure to verify that it is compatible with your specific hardware and/or operating system. Some devices may require additional software or drivers from the manufacturer.

Connect your Cellular Adapter to a USB port on your Ubuntu computer. It will most likely appear in your System menu as a “Wired Connection.”

Some Cellular adapters require the use of proprietary dialer software to connect to the Internet. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's installation and operating instructions closely.

Step 4: Download and Install Speedify

Last but certainly not least, download and install Speedify. Once running, Speedify will automatically detect any available Internet connections and combine them for increased speed, security, and stability.

Need to keep several devices connected in areas with limited or spotty network coverage, like event venues, remote locations or when traveling? Get consistent and uninterrupted online activity for all your devices using Speedify's Pair & Share functionality, which allows you to share cellular data between multiple devices wirelessly.

By pairing devices, you can effectively distribute your cellular connection across them, improving overall performance, especially when other network options like Wi-Fi may be slow or unstable.

You can manage settings, view statistics, and even apply limits to individual connections by either clicking/tapping on them from the Dashboard or by navigating to the desired connection through the main Settings menu.

Speedify will work quietly in the background to optimize performance including prioritizing streaming web traffic to avoid stuttering, buffering and disconnects.

Whether at home, work, or on-the-go, Speedify is the only VPN that makes your online experiences faster, more reliable, and more secure.

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Get started today!

With Speedify you can combine multiple internet sources into one bonded super-connection to improve livestreaming, video calling, gaming, web browsing, and everything else you do online.

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Speed

Combine Wi-Fi, cellular, ethernet, satellite, and more to maximize performance

Stability

Avoid buffering and disconnects while streaming, gaming, and browsing.

Security

Keep your personal data safe from hackers, snoops and cyber criminals

We love talking about connectivity!

On our social channels, Alex Gizis and the engineers from Speedify discuss and explain interesting connectivity technology including Starlink satellites, Wi-Fi 7 routers, Apple networking features, Fiber optics, broadband internet, 5G mobile networks, AI, networking protocols, and much more.

Alex and the Speedify team are always exploring the latest in networking and security technology—like 5G, 6G, WiFi 7, laser and satellite internet—and sharing it in new discussion content across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn every week.

Got a tech question? Let's go deeper! Pop into Speedify Office Hours live every Wednesday at 10 AM Eastern. Speedify CEO Alex Gizis and our network engineers are standing by to break down your questions about networks, tech updates, and Speedify features.

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